Can-feeding mechanism



Dec. 4, 1951 E, P, TAROT 2,577,546

CAN-FEEDING MECHANISM Filed'Sept. 21, 1946- 7 5 Sheets-Sheet l FIE lINVENTOR ERNEST E nnor ATTORNEYS Dec. 4, 1951 E. P. TAROT CAN-FEEDINGMECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 21, 1946 INVENTOR ERNfST R T4807ATTORNEYS Dec. 4, 1951 p TAROT 2,577,546

CAN-FEEDING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 21, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 l l l In 32I I Al m 70 JIIIIIIIIIIL I w E I EM! n2. M" '70 48 III ll 21 25 I} we'74 24 O u I l 29 o lit-5311i: llllll I H 1 42 U I O m. "1| 4s i k puu'm! [M M u' I II I '51 l h I425 M m I Il a" O I 4a 4 II I O I u ez 3 'I IIi m1 I'll 1 :1 i0

E. M TOR ERNEST R TAROT Maw Wyw/ w ATTORNEYS D60. 4, E. P. TARC'DTCAN-FEEDING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 21, 1946 s Sheets-Sheet 4 lII- IIIIllll-lllli 'lllilll l llhl lulu- 1 llll INVENTOR ERNEST I? TAROTATTORNEYS 1951 E. P. TAROT 2,577,545

CAN-FEEDING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 21, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Lil"INVENTOR m/ve'sr P. mnar ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 4, 1951 CAN -FEEDINGMECHANISM Ernest P. Tarot, San Jose, Calif., assignor to Food Machineryand Chemical Corporation, a corporation of Delaware ApplicationSeptember 21, 1946, Serial No. 698,412 6 Claims. (Cl. .19. 8-33) Thisinvention relates to can feeding mechanisms and more particularly toconveyors for deliveringcans or similar bodies to the pocketed valveturrets of continuous canned goods cookers.

An object of the invention to provide an improved mechanism for feedingcans to moving receivers so that the cans are accurately and positivelydelivered to the receivers without damage or shock.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved mechanism forfeeding cans to the rotatable feed valves of continuous cookers and thelike. in which the cans are conveyed toward the feed valves by .a fixedguide arranged to receive the cans in one position. to convey the canstoward the .feed valves in such position, and hav ing means for turningthe cans .for delivery to the feed valves in a predetermined position.

.Still another object of the invention is to provide a can feedingmechanism of the above type in which the cans are moved through thefixed guide by a chain having can moving elements guided in the samerelative position through the fixed guide and the can turning means.

A further object of the invention is to provide a can feeding mechanismof simple construction and efficient operation which is non-clogging andrequires no attention during, operation.

Another object of the invention to provide a can orienting device forcan feeding mechanisms for turning the cans through a predeterminedangle during movement of the cans therethrough.

A further object of the invention is to provide a can twister forturning the cans through a predetermined angle in which the cans areunder control at all times.

Another object of the invention is to provide can feeding mechanism forturning cans from one position to another position, in which the cansgravitate through the mechanism and the movement .of the cans throughthe mechanism is controlled at all times.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide an improved canconveyor having .a fixed can guide formed with slots and a conveyorarranged outside of the guide and having can moving elements extendingthrough .the slots, with which is combined .a can twister ior turn ingthe cans from one position to another :position and having a slotextending -lengthwise thereof for guiding the can moving elementsthrough the twister in the same relative position as the position oftheelements in the slots oi the gu-ide.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent from the following description and accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a portion of the inlet end of a pressure cookershowing the can feeding mechanism of the present invention appliedthereto;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line -2-2 of Fig. 1;v

3 is a vertical sectional view taken alon the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken alon the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 51s an enlarged vertical sectional view taken along the line 5-5 ofFig. 1 showing the conveyor and the valve turret in one position;

Fig. 6 ,is a view of a portion of the structure shown in Fig. .5 showingthe conveyor and the valve turret in another position;

Figs. '7 to 13, inclusive, are horizontal sectional views taken .alongthe lines 1-? to 13-13, inclusive of 5, illustrating the detailconstruction of the can twister;

Fig. 1 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the line 14-44 of Fig.6;

Fig. 15 is an enlarged vertical transverse sectional view taken alongthe line l5l5 of F g. 2; and

1.6 is an enlarged vertical transverse sectional view taken along theline liil6 of Fig. 2.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 5 of the drawings, the conventional formof continuous canned goods cooker in connection with which thepresentjinvention has been illustrated herein, comprises a cookingchamber ll formed of a hollow cylindrical shell l2 closed at its ends.Since these cookers are well known in the art, only the Portion of thecooker at the inlet or the end through which the cans are delivered tothe chamber ii for processing is shown. As is customary in thesecookers, the interior Wall of the shell [2 is provided with a continuousspirally arranged guide rail 13 (Fig. 5) which forms a helical pathwayfor guiding the cans from the inlet to the outlet of the cooker. A reel,made up of ,a plurality of spider-wheels ,provided with -L-shaped rails15, is mounted upon a rotatable shaft "is (Figs. 1 and 3),longitudinally extending through the chamber ll.

T-he cans are delivered into the cooker by means of a feed valve device2i comprising a casing having a cylindrical wall 22 and end walls 23 and2-4 which are detachably secured to the cy-lindrioal'wall '22 by meansof bolts 25, as shown in Fig. 1. The cylindrical wall 22 of the feedvalve casing is formed with an inlet port or opening 26, and an outletport or opening 2'! (Fig. The outlet opening 21 is disposed in registrywith an opening 28 provided in the shell i2 of the cooker. The feedvalve casing as a unit is secured to the shell [2 by means of bolts 29,as shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 5.

A valve turret 3| mounted on a shaft 32, rotates within the casing ofthe feed valve 2 I. The turret 3| has a series of pockets 33 (Fig. 5),formed in the periphery thereof for receiving the cans and forsuccessively feeding them through the outlet opening 2? onto theL-shaped rails l5 of the reel within the chamber II. The pockets 33 areseparated by radially disposed walls 34, and have a can supportingsurface 35 that moves 4 been the practice to arrange the can feedingconveyors in a plane disposed at right angles with respect to thelongitudinal axis of the cookers. When the conveyors are thus disposed,they occupy considerable space and block the aisles between adjacentlines of cookers. When the conveyors are arranged parallel with thelongitudinal axis of thecookers, such as is the arrangement of theconveyor 45'with the cooker II, the aisles between adjacent lines ofcookers will be unobstructed and also the aisles need not be asdownwardly past the inlet opening 26 during rotation of the turret inthe direction of the arrow- 35, as shown in Fig. 5.

In cookers of the type herein shown, the shaft 32 is supported inbearings 31 (Fig. 1) so that the feed valve turret 3| is rotatable abouta horizontal axis, and the pockets 33 are arranged -toreceive the cansso that the longitudinal axis of each can delivered to the turret isdisposed substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis of thecooker. In the present instance, the inlet port or opening 26 is locatedin the wall 22 of the casing 2| at a point substantially in alignmentwith a line passing in a horizontal plane through the axis of rotationof the turret. This arrangement of the inlet opening 26 with respect tothe axis of the valve turret 3! is somewhat different than has been thepractice heretofore. In the cookers of the prior art to which thepresent invention is applicable, it was usually the custom to locate theinlet opening at some point in the casing of the feed valve above theaxis of the turret, so that cans delivered by the conveyor to the feedvalve would drop by gravity into the pockets of the turret as thepockets successively registered with the inlet opening during rotationof the turret. However, as herein shown, the inlet opening 25 has beenarranged in the side of the feed valve casing at a point where the canscan be introduced into the pockets of the turret Without droppingtherein.

As shown in Fig. 1, the shaft 22 of the feed valve turret 3| is providedwith a gear 42 -keyed thereto and having its teeth in meshingrelationship with the teeth of a gear 43 keyed to shaft l6. Shaft I6 isdriven in well known manner from a suitable source of power (not shown)and from said driven shaft and gear 43, power is derived for driving allunits of the mechanism of the present invention, in the manner to behereinafter described.

The can feeding mechanism of the present invention is especially adaptedfor feeding the cans to and placing them into the pockets 33 of thevalve turret 3|, and comprises in general a conveyor 45, which extendsoutwardly a suitable distance from the inlet end of the cooker to aconvenient point (not shown) where the cans, after they have been filledand closed, are delivered in single file to the receiving end portion ofthe conveyor.

As shown in Fig. 1, the conveyor 45 is located at one side of thelongitudinal axis of the cooker in proximity to the feed valve device2|. Preferably the conveyor is disposed substantially in a planeparallel to the longitudinal axis of the cooker. Heretofore, in someinstances, it has wide as the width of the aisles required when theconveyors are disposed at right angles to the longitudinal axis of thecookers. Another advantage in arranging the conveyor parallel with thelongitudinal axis of the cooker is that the filling and closingmachinescan be arranged substantially in alignment with the cooker and the cansfed in a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cooker, therebyreducing to a minimum the amount of space required between adjacentlines of equipment on the cannery fioor.

The conveyor 45 is adapted to move the cans in uniformly spaced apartrelationship and delivers them one by one, successively, into thesuccessive pockets 33 of the valve turret 3 l, the said conveyor and thesaid valve turret traveling in timed relation with respect to eachother, both being driven directly from the same rotary memher, i. e.,shaft 32. Y

As shown in Figs. 1 and 5, the cans 46 may be cylindrical in form andmay have a length somewhat greater than their diameter. The conveyorreceives the cans 46 and transports them toward the feed valve device 2|with the longitudinal axis of each can arranged perpendicular or atright angles to the longitudinal axis of the pockets 33 of the Valveturret 3|. Means are provided in the conveyor, preferably at a pointadjacent to the inlet opening 26, for turning the cans, in themanner tobe hereinafter more fully described, so that each can will enter apocket 33 with its longitudinal axis substantially parallel to thelongitudinal axis of the pocket.

The conveyor 45 comprises a single endless double strand chain 48 whichtravels around a drive sprocket 49, Figs. 2 and 3, located in proximityto the feed valve 2|. It will be understood that the chain 48 alsotravels around suitable guide means, such as a drum or sprocket (notshown) rotatably mounted at the can receiving end of the conveyor inwell known manner. The sprocket 49 is fixed to a shaft, 58 rotatablymounted in a bearing 51 formed in the long arm of a Y-shaped bracket 52.In addition to the long arm having the bearing 5|, the bracket 52 hastwo short arms formed with bearings 53 and 54, respectively. Fixed tothe short arm of the bracket 52 having the bearing 53 is another bracket55 which is mounted on the shell l2 of the cooker so that the bracket 52will be rigidly supported thereby.

The chain 48 is driven from the valve turret shaft 32 by the followingmechanism: As shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 4, fixed to shaft 32 is a gear 56which meshes with a gear 51 keyed to shaft 58 mounted in the bearings53, 54 and also a bearing 59 of a bracket 60. Shaft 58 has a bevel gear6| keyed thereto which gear meshes with a bevel gear 62 fixed to shaftheretofore described. Thus, rotation imparted to the valve turret shaft32 by gears 43 and 42 is transmitted to the shaft 50 on which ismountedthesprocket 49. In this manner the conveyor chain 48 issimultaneously o erated in timed relation with the valve turret Thechain 48 is composed of links 66 pivoted together by pins 61. Each linkof the chain is formed of four bars of suitable length arranged in twosets of pairs side by side, and in order to maintain the bars of eachpair spaced apart,

rollers 68 are mounted on each pivot pin 6'! be--' apart so as toprovide can receiving spaces therebetween. Also, the studs arepreferably formed from round bars of a length determined by the lengthof the cans so that they will be at least coextensive of the cans beingtransported by the conveyor. The reason for utilizing round 'studs is toprovide a single line or point of contact between the studs and thecans.

As shown in Fig. 2, the upper flight of the chain 48 is associated withan upper fixed guide portion of the conveyor generally indicated at ll,and the lower flight of the chain 48 is associated with a lower fixedguide portion of the conveyor generally indicated at I2. The two fixedguide portions II, '52 of the conveyor may be rigidly tied together bybars l3, Fig. arranged at suitable intervals throughout the length ofthe entire conveyor structure, and the portion of the conveyor structureherein illustrated is rigidly secured to the cooker, as indicated bybolts M, Figs. 1 and 5.

As shown in Fig. 2, intermediate the length of the conveyor 55 a sectionmay be substantially horizontally disposed in a plane a suitabledistance above the cooker. Directly over the inlet feed valve device '2l the upper fixed guide portion H of the conveyor is formed with anarcuate portion 15 which extends downwardly from the horizontal portion.Below the arcuate portion 15 there is a substantially vertical portionI6 which has a flange TI at its lower end.

The horizontal section of the upper fixed guide II of the conveyor issubstantially of channel form in cross section, as shown in Fig. 15,consisting of a fiat bottom can supporting member I8, preferably formedof sheet metal, and sides I9, 89 upstanding from the longitudinal sideedges of the can supporting member I8. The horizontal section of theupper fixed guide II is open at the top, as shown in Figs. 1 and 15, andthe channel form of said guide is continued in the arcuate portion I5and the vertical portion 15. However, in order to prevent lateraldisplacement of the cans traveling down the portions 15 and I6 of theconveyor, the open portion of the channel is closed by an arcuate coverplate 8| which is se- C}.l l' d to the sides 79 and 69 by means of bolts82, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The side 19 of the upper fixed guide TI is formed of a pair of bars 83,,84 arranged in par allel spaced relation to each other so as to providea slot 85 therebetween, and similarly the side 85 is formed of bars 86,8?, spaced apart to provide a slot 88 therebetween (Fig, 15).. The studsin of the chain 48 are disposed in the slots 85, 88 so as to be guidedthereby. The can supporting member '58 and the sides I9, 80 may beconstructed in any suitable manner so that the slots 85, 88 will becontinuous and unobstructed and thus permit freemovement of:thestudstherein 6. throughout the entire length or the upper fixedguide II. 1

Also formed as a part of the upper fixed guide H, is a track for thechain '48 comprisin a pair of angle bars '90, SI, both of which aredisposed at one side of the fixed guide and arranged above and below thechain, as shown in Fig. 1 5. The angle bars 90, 9! are secured,respectively, to the two spaced bars 83, 84 of the side 19 so as toprovide a space or slot '92 between them to receive the rollers 68. Theangle bars 90, 9| are also mounted in spaced relation to the side bars83, 84 by means of spacers 83, 94, the parts being secured together bybolts or machine screws 95. The purpose of the spacers 93, 94 is toprovide a channel QSextending longitudinally of the upper fiight of theconveyor in registration with the slot '85. The channel 96 is arrangedto receive a plurality of guide plates '91 on the chain "48. As shown inFigs. 2, -5, and 15, each guide plate '9'! comprises a rectangular bodywhich is mounted on a stud 1U andwhich is also perforated to receivepivot pins 61 at opposite sides of each stud. Thus each link (56 of thechain 48 which carries a stud I0 is reinforced by an additional bar inthe form of the guide plate at. These plates 91 retain the studs 18 inposition perpendicular to the chain 48 during travel of the chainthrough the upper fixed guide ll of the conveyor and downwardly throughthe portions 715 and I6 thereof.

The fixed guide I2 for the lower flight of the conveyor chain 48 issubstantially of channel form in cross section, as shown in Fig. 16,consisting of a flat bottom chain supporting member I having upstandingsides I02. The member NH, and its sides I02 may be formed of sheetmetal. and mounted on the member Illl in spaced relation to the sidesI02 are bars I03, I04. These bars extend lengthwise of the fixed guide12 and provide a support for the 'chain'48, the rollers 58 of said chainengaging the bar I03 and the outer end portions of the studs '10 restinupon the bar I0 3. The purpose of the bars is to keep the guide plates91 from contacting the surface of the supporting member Ill-I so thatthe chain will move freely on its trackway.

As shown in Fig. 2, the fixed guide 12 extends from a point in proximityto the sprocket 49 upwardly for a suitable distance, and thencehorizontally in substantially parallel relationship to the horizontalportion of the upper guide II. From the left hand portion of theconveyor, as viewed in Fig. 2, th'e guides H and '12 may be inclineddownwardly at a suitable angle toward the feed end of the conveyorinotshown).

At a suitable point above the inlet opening -26 the conveyor 15 isformed with a can twister,

generally indicated at I I I, Figs. 2, 3, and 5. The can twistercomprises two separate vertically disposed sections I I2, I13 which aresecured to the flange T! of the fixed guide I! I by bolts I'M.

The interior of the section .II2 is formed lengthwise thereof with aplurality of twisted surfaces H5, H6, H1, and H8, and'the interior ofthe section H3 is formed with a plurality of twisted surfaces I20, I21,I22, and I23. The twisted surface H6 is disposed at right angles orperpendicular to the twisted surfaces I I 5 and I I! (Figs. 7 and 8),and the twisted surface .8 is disposed at right angles or perpendicularto the twisted surface H5 (Figs. 10, '11, 12, and 13). The twistedsurface 12] is disposed at right angles or perpendicular to the twistedsurfaces I20 and 1.22 (Figs. land 8) and the twisted surface I23 isdisposed'at right angles or perpendicular to the twisted surface I20(Figs. 10, 11, 12, and 13). The section H2 is also formed with plainfaces I25, I26 arranged vertically along the sides thereof, and thesection H3 is formed with plain vertical faces I21, I28 along the sidesthereof. When the two sections H2, H3 are assembled in the manner shownin Figs. 7 to 13, inclusive, the faces I25, I26 are spaced from thefaces I21, I28, respectively, a suitable distance to provide a verticalslot I30 between the sections through which slot the studs of the chain40 are adapted to freely pass. The slot I30 aligns with the slots 85, 68of the fixed guide II and provides a straight line continuation thereofso that the studs I0 are guided in the same relativeposition through thetwister III of the conveyor. If so desired, the walls of the sectionsH2, H3 having the twisted surfaces II6, I2I, respectively, may haveopenings I32, I33 formed therein so that access may be had to theinterior of the twister without dismantling the same.

The construction and arrangement of the parts of the twister I I I issuch that a twisted can path is formed lengthwise thereof for the cans,the opposed surfaces IIB, I2I of the sections H2, H3, respectively,being substantially parallel, and the opposed surfaces I I5, I20 beingsubstantially parallel. As shown in Fig. 7 at the upper end or canentrance of the twister, the two surfaces II 6, I2I are disposedparallel with the longitudinal axis of the studs I0, and, as shown inFig. 13, these two surfaces II6, I2I have been twisted so that at thelower or discharge end of the twister they are disposed substantiallyperpendicular or at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the studsI0. Thus the construction of the twister III is such that a spiralcanway, substantially rectangular in cross section, is provided (seeFigs. 7 to 13, inclusive), by which the cans are turned through an angleof approximately 90. The overall dimensions of the canway thus providedin the can twister III are slightly greater than the size of the cans sothat the cans will pass freely through the twister. In moving downwardlythrough the twister the cans are turned or oriented by the diagonallydisposed surfaces indicated at I35, I36 in Fig. 8.

Fixed to the end of the section I I2 adjacent the plain face I 25 is anangle bar I38, and fixed to the end of the section II3 adjacent theplain face I2I is an angle bar I39. The angle bars I38, I39 arevertically disposed and spaced apart so as to align substantially withthe lower portions of the angle bars 90 and SI. Between the angle barsI38, I39 is a slot I40 which is a continuation of the slot 92.

At a point adjacent to the feed valve 2I, the conveyor 45 is formed witha stripper MI, by means of which the cans, after they have been turnedby the twister III, are' transferred from the conveyor to the valveturret 3|. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the upper end of the stripper MIis secured to the lower portion of the twister III by bolts I42, and, asshown in Fig. 5, the lower portion of the stripper is anchored to thevalve casing 22 by the bolts 14 heretofore referred to. The bracket 52is connected by a bracket I43 to the feed valve housing 2I, in themanner as shown in Fig. 3.

The stripper I4I (Fig. 14) is composed of two similarly formed sectionsI45, I46 which are spaced apart vertically so as to provide a slot I4Itherebetween through which the studs I0 of the chain 48 pass intraveling downwardly through the stripper. The angle bars-I38, I39depend from the twister III downwardly of the stripper HI and aresecured to the ends of the sections I45, I46. The construction andarrangement of the parts is such that a continuous trackway isprovidedin the fixed guide I I, the twister I I I and the stripper I4Ifor the chain 48, as shown best in Figs. 7 to 16, inclusive.

As illustrated in Figs. 5 and 14, the sections I45, I46 of the stripperare formed with parallel opposed inclined walls I48, I49 which extenddownwardly from the bottom of the can twister toward the inlet opening26 of the feed valve 2I. The section I45 is formed with an end Wall I50and the section I46 is formed with an end wall I5I. The end walls I50,I5I align substantially with the end walls of the pockets 33 of thevalve turret 3| and prevent endwise shifting movement of the canspassing through the stripper to the valve turret. The construction ofthe parts is such that a clear smooth channel or canway is providedthrough which the cans are adapted to freely pass when being transferredfrom the conveyor to the feed valve 2I. The wall I48 extends obliquelyacross the path of the studs I0, the upper portion of said wall beingarcuate and the lower portion of said wall being substantially straight.The wall I48 has a can supporting surface I52, the contour of saidsurface being such that each can, as it approaches the inlet opening 26is cammed laterally toward a pocket 33 of the turret 3| as the pocketmoves into registry wtih the inlet opening 26. The canway in the twisterIII and in the stripper MI is slightly larger than the cans so that thecans can travel toward the pockets 33 in the valve turret withoutinterference. However, the width of the canway should not be of suchextent that the cans will tip or cant endwise and become lodged at anangle with respect to the walls of the canway.

It will be understood that the can twister III of the present inventioncan be used either for cylindrical cans, as herein illustrated, or forrectangular cans.

In operation, after the cans have been filled and closed, they aredelivered in a horizontal position by any suitable means to the upperfiight II of the conveyor 45. When a can enters the conveyor it isengaged by the stud I0 which is behind it and the stud propels the canforwardly along the upper can supporting member 18. The cans are thendirected by the can supporting member downwardly of the portions I5, I6,and as the cans pass through the arcuate portion I5 they rest upon thestuds I0 which are disposed below them. The cans are carried down thevertical portion I6 of the conveyor in a substantially horizontalposition with the longitudinal axes of the cans disposed substantiallyparallel with the longitudinal axes of the studs, and in case the cansare cylindrical in form there is a single line contact of the cans withthe studs. Thus, from the point at which the cans are delivered to theconveyor to a point above the feed valve 2I, the cans are propelled bythe studs I0 of the conveyor chain 48, and during the travel of the cansdownwardly toward the valve turret (H, the cans gravitate and rest uponor are supported by the studs and are lowered thereby through the spiralcanway of the twister I I I and the canway of the stripper I4I. Duringgravitation of the cans downwardly of the conveyor the movement of thecans through the twister and the stripper is always under the control ofthe studs I0. In moving through the twister III the cans are turned inthe manner heretofore described 'through an angle of approximately 90degrees so that the longitudinal axis of each can will be disposedsubstantially parallel with the longitudinal axis of the canway of thestripper Ml.

stud 10, at the point said surfaces cross a line passing horizontallythrough the center of the turret shaft 32, as shown in'Fig. 5.Furthermore, the can being lowered by a stud H! of the chain 48 engagesthe surface I52 of'the stripper as soon as the can passes through thelower end of the twister, and due to the construction and arrangement ofthe parts, when the upper surface of the stud on which the can issupported is substantially aligned with the supporting surface of apocket, the can is pushed by the stripper off the end of the stud andenters the pocket, as indicated at I55, Figs. 5 and 6. In this way whenthe can moves obliquely across the stripper in a downward direction thecan will be delivered on its side into a pocket of the turret withoutbeing dropped into the pocket, and due to the fact that the chain andthe turret operate in timed relation the can is gradually lowered into apocket of the turret valve as the surface 35 of the pocket and the studit move down.

It will furthermore be noted that the vertical section of the conveyorprovided by the twister Ill and the stripper Mi is disposed tangentiallywith respect to the periphery of the feed valve turret 3| and isarranged to convey cans rectilinearly downwardly in the same generaldirection as the direction in which the can supporting surfaces 35 ofthe pockets 33 of the valve turret 3| move past the inlet opening 26 ofthe feed valve so as to insure a smooth unbroken movement of the canswhen the cans are transferred from the conveyor to the feed valve.

The disposition of the stripper l4! relative to the feed valve, and themanner in which the movement of the studs 7! in a downward verticaldirection is in timed relation with the rotation of the feed valveturret 3!, is such that each can is delivered on its side into a pocket.The stripper It! thus constitutes means for intercepting a can carriedby the conveyor and for gradually introducing the can into a pocket 33of the turret whereby the can is transferred without shock or injury tothe supporting surface 35 of the pocket which is moving downwardly pastthe inlet opening 26.

An advantage of the construction herein disclosed is that it provides animproved mechanism by which the gravitational speed of the cans movingthrough the can twister l l l is positively controlled. Anotheradvantage is that the cans are turned through a predetermined angle fromone position toward a desired position while supported on elements of aconveyor chain traveling at a predetermined speed. Still anotheradvantage of the present invention is that the conveyor is soconstructed that the chain and its studs are guided in the same relativeposition throughout the entire conveyor.

While in the drawings,.by way of example, the can feeding mechanism ofthe present invention extensive thereof, a conveyor chain arrangedoutside of the guide and disposed alongside one of the side wallsthereof, said chain having can moving elements extending through theslotted side walls and arranged crosswise of the guide for moving canslengthwise of the guide with the longitudinal center lines of the cansdisposed at right angles to the line of travel, and a can twister forturning the cans from one position to another position, said can twisterhaving a, slot formed lengthwise thereof in alignment with the slottedside walls of said guide through which the can moving elements of saidchain travel in a straight line in the same relative position as theposition of said elements in the guide.

2. A can feeding mechanism comprising a fixed guide having a cansupporting surface and side walls provided with slots'formed lengthwiseand coextensive thereof, a conveyor chain arranged outside of the guideand disposed alongside of one of the side walls thereof, said chainhaving can moving elements extending through the slotted side walls andarranged crosswise of the guide for moving cans disposed in apredetermined position on said supporting surface lengthwise of theguide, and means through which the cans and the can moving elements ofsaid chain travel for turning the cans through a, predetermined anglefrom one position to another posi-- tion, the can moving elements ofsaid chain passing through said can turning means in the same relativeposition as the position of said elements in the guide.

3. Mechanism for feeding cans to a feed valve rotatin in a verticalplane about a horizontal axis and having peripheral pockets each adaptedto receive a can with its cylindrical axis parallel to that of the feedvalve, comprising a conveyor having a portion disposed to elevate cansin a plane perpendicular to the plane of rotation of said valve, saidconveyor including a can support having slotted sides and a conveyorchain arranged at one side thereof with lateral pins extending throughthe slotted sides of said support for controlling the movement ofcontainers alon said support, said conveyor having a vertically disposedportion for lowering the cans toward the mouth of said feed valve, saidvertically disposed portion of the conveyor having spirally disposedinner surfaces for effecting turning of the cans from a positionperpendicular of the axis of rotation of said valve to a positionparallel thereto as the cans move toward said valve, said conveyor chainpins having single line contact with said cans as they turn between saidspirally disposed surfaces so that the cans freely turn therebetween foradmittance into the mouth of said feed valve in timed relation withregistration of the peripheral pockets therewith.

4. An arrangement for delivering cans into a rotary feed valve of thetype having peripheral pockets adapted to receive cans with their axisparallel to the axis of rotation of the feed valve and wherein saidvalve turns about a horizontal axis, said arrangement comprising achannel having an ascending run adapted to guide cans with their axes atright angles to said horizontal axis of rotation to a level above saidvalve, a descending run adapted to guide cans from a level above saidvalve to a point tangentially of said valve at the level of said axis ofrotation, spiral guide surfaces arranged within said descending run toturn the cans from a position wherein their axes are at right angles tothe axis of rotation of the valve to a position in which their axes lieparallel to said axis of rotation, a conveyor chain arranged to movealong both the ascending and the descending run of said channel, andcan-engaging elements carried by said chain and arranged to protrudeinto said channel to propel the cans through said ascending run and toretard their descent through said descending run.

5. A can feeding mechanism comprising a helical guide portion having cansupporting surfaces extending from an upper to a lower level andarranged to turn a can from one position to another as the can movesalong said helical guide portion, said guide portion having straightslots formed to extend lengthwise in opposite sides thereof, a flexibleconveyor element arranged for lengthwise movement outside of the guide,a can engaging element mounted on said conveyor element to extendthrough said slots for engaging a can within said guide to controlmovement of the can through the helical guide portion, and power drivemeans mounted to advance said conveyor element and the can engagingelement thereon lengthwise of said helical guide portion.

6. Can feeding mechanism comprising a can guide having a straightportion and a continuing helically twisted portion, a conveyor elementmounted to travel lengthwise of said guide throughout both the straightand twisted portions thereof, a plurality of flight members mounted onsaid conveyor element to extend transversely of said guide and adaptedto engage and control the movement of cans lengthwise of said guidethroughout both of said guide portions, the twisted portion of saidguide being slotted in a straight line lengthwise thereof to receivesaid flight members for guided travel along a planiform pathsubstantially bisectin the twisted portion of said guide and extendinglengthwise thereof, and power drive means connected to drive saidconveyor element and the flight mem bers mounted thereon along saidguide at a controlled rate of speed.

ERNEST P. TAROT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 812,154 Scott et a1. Feb. 6, 19061,021,201 Larson Mar. 26, 1912 1,058,287 Baxter, Jr. Apr. 8, 19131,393,947 Colbert Oct. 18, 1921 1,925,395 Holland-Letz Sept. 5, 19332,387,211 Barnby et a1 Oct. 16, 1945 2,400,419 Hohl et al. May 14, 1946

